Car vestibule diaphragm



Oct. 11, 1932. H. u. MORTON- 1,881,850

CAR VESTIBULE DIAPHRAGM Filed May 9, 1930 2'2: 1 {I 7 Q? a /5 11 o 1 1 fl o 1 9 J0 i lg &n

17;??? 6/ Warim.

Patented Oct. '11, 1932 I iesirsc umren stares earsarorrice Till I HARRY ujiuon'roiv, orcHrcAGo, ILLINOIS, AssIeNon ro monronilrnnnnacrnnnvs COMPANY, or onroneo, ILLInois, a COB-PQBATION or IIiLINQIg can vns rrnuiin DIAPHRAGM Application filed May 9, 1930. Serial No. 450,902. 7

This'invention relates to diaphragms for railway car vestibules. Such diaphragms are usually'constructed of flexible material such as canvas, rubberized fabric, or other suitable material.

' During travel of atrain, the cars sway and lurch relatively and where the diaphragms are of a length to contact with the foot plates the materialof the diaphragms soon becomes wornand frayed by the frictional contact and abrasion thereof against the foot plates. Where the diaphragms are vertically sectional, such wear will require frequent repair or replacement of the lower sections.

An important object of the invention is to provide wearing strips or cuffs at the lower ends of the diaphragm which strips are preferably of resilient material such as sponge rubber which will not become frazzled or frayed under frictional contact with the foot plate and which will yieldingly and snugly engage with the foot plate at all times so as to also form an effective weather strip or barrier between the diaphragm ends and the foot plates. 1 7

Another important object is to provide lower vertical sections for the diaphragm which are comparatively narrow vertically and which at their lower ends have secured thereto the protecting and weathering strips above referred to. These lower sections or cufl' structuresare stitched or otherwise secured to the upper sections so that they may be readily removed and replaced should they become worn out.

The various features of my invention are incorporated in the structure shown on the drawing, in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dia phragm structure,

Figure 2' is an enlarged vertical section through one leg of the diaphragm structure,

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on plane IIIIII of Figure 2,

Figure l is an enlarged side elevation of a section of the wearing and protecting cuif structure, and

Figure 5 is a section on plane V-V of Figure 4.

The diaphragm shown comprises the top of arch section 1 and the verticalor side sections 2 and 3.? The verticalisections or length s each comprise folds 4 of suitable fabric such as canvas, such foldsat their adjacent edges being secured together as by stitchingor riveting, but preferably by meansof a metal clamp 5 and'rivets 6. 7 i g V 1 The top orarch section 1 is constructed of similar folds and on the inner sides of'the ends of this arch section are arranged strips of material 7 secured by folding over-the upper edges of the strip and sewing or riveting such edges to the arch section. This arrangement provides pockets 8 into which the upper ends of the folds 4 of the side, sections may extend to be secured as by means of stitching.

At the lower ends of the-side sections or legs 2 and 3 are provided comparatively very short culfstructures 9 and10. As shown. in Figure 3, each cuff structure is formed from a strip of material such as canvas, the strip being bent or folded at the middle as indicated at 11, the two sections 12-and-13 forming outer loops or folds and the end sections 14 and 15 of the strip beingfolded back against the'outcr folds 12 and 13, and termi nating adjacent to the bend: 1'1. The'outer and inner folds 12 and 14 and the outer and inner folds .13 and 15 respectively receive between them" the folds, 4 of thelong legsecy ticns 2 and 3 and these sections and the cufi structures are secured together as by stitching as indicated at 16, Figures 4- and 5. At

the bottom of each cuff structure and. be-

.tween the outer and inner foldsthereof I is very desirable and efficient. The abutment and weathering strip is secured between the folds of the cuff structure fabric as by means of stitching 18. The .materia-l 'of the folds 4 may extendintothe cufi structure-down to the strip 17 so that the cufi. structure will be stifiened and strengthened and betterienabled to withstand the wear and tear to which it is subjected.

The strips 17 being of resilient material such as sponge rubber will, by their resiliency and elasticity, be at all times kept in intimate contact with the foot plate during relative movement of the cars of a train and will keep out wind and weather. The strips may wear eventually but they will not frazzle or fray and become unsightly. After a'strip' has be-- come 'wornaway so that its weathering efficiency will be'impaired a newstrip may be inserted in the cull structure or the cuff structure may be entirely detachedand replaced by a new cufi structure.- I p Referringto Figure 2, the metal clamps 5 which secure together'the adjacent edges of the folds 40f the sections 2 and 3, may be extendeddown as far as the weathering strips 17 and receive theefolds 11 of the cuff structure fabric. The structures will thus be further stiffened and strengthened. I I have shown and described a practical and efficient embodiment ofmy invention but I do not'desire' to be limited thereto as changes and modlficat onsmay be made without departing from the scopev and principles of the invention.

I'claim as follows;

1. The combination with a diaphragmof the class described, of floor engaging strips extending along the lower edges thereof and formedof sponge rubber.

2. The combination with a diaphragm of the class described, of floor engaging weathering strips extending from'the lower edges "thereof and formed of material having the characteristics of sponge rubber.

A diaphragm structure of the class described'comprising vertical legs formed of folds of material, a cuff structure for the lower end of each leg, each cuff structure comthe accordion type, vertically extending legs of flexible sheet material and feet of softer and morefiexible sheet material attached to the lower ends ofthe legs as downward con;

tinuations of the latter.

' 7. In a railway cartvestibule diaphragm of the accordion type, vertically extending le s made of. heavy fabric, and feet of sheet 'material attached to the. lower ends ofthe legs as downward continuations of thelatter, said feet being more flexible than the legs,

whereby to yield readily to deformation and thereby prevent transmission of the ma or deforming stresses to the legs.

8.In a railway car vestibule diaphragm prisinga strip of fabric folded to surround and receive the end of the leg folds, and a floor engaging strip received between the folds of the cuff fabric and extending downwardly therefrom and being formed of ma 'ierial having the characteristics ofsoft ruber.

4. A diaphragm of the class described com- I prising vertical legs formed of folds of ma- 'terial, a cuff structure. for each leg compri inga strip of fabric having folds for receiving the ends of the leg folds and having a floor engaging strip of pliable resilient material secured between its folds and extending downwardly therefrom for engagement with the floor.

5. The combination with a diaphragm of the class described, of cufi structures receiving the lower ends of the vertical legs of the -diaphragm, and wearing and weathering strips extending beyond the lower ends of said cuffsand formed of sponge'rubber.

6. In ara'ilway car vestibule diaphragmof 1 

